Atmospheres and envelopes

I find the idea of the architectural envelope very interesting because since the beginning of times the envelope has been the  most crucial part of architecture. Architecture at its core is in a way a shelter, something to keep you warm in the cold, cold in the warmth and dry in the rain. The envelope at the start comes from local materials, what was found in place: mammoth bones ans skin, timber, stone or ice in the case of Inuits. The combination of materials becomes very important, one is structural (bones, and one is thermal: skin). The envelope serves as a threshold to a different atmosphere: inside vs. outside. This is why the atmosphere of a building is highly dependent on the envelope. Both Palasmaa in The Eyes of the Skin and Zumthor in Atmosphere mention the idea that architecture is meant to move people, make them feel. They reject the idea that it is purely visual. You cannot be a tourist in architecture: look at the facade, take a picture and leave. To understand it you must enter it and allow it to make you feel something. I say the envelope is crucial in that role, because it has a materiality, texture, color, density, smell and allows light in. I think a big play in athmosphere is the control of light in a building. We see the importance of lighting control in combination with chosen materials in Zumthor's , Ando's, Nemeiyer's, and Holl's work. They all seek different effects, and control light and materials in different ways but light coming through the envelope nonetheless is crucial to their masterpieces.